Infection, cuts, lacerations, puncture wounds, strains, contusions, bruises, degenerative joint diseases, arthritis, and arthroscopic operations often injure the human body. Such injuries may cause infections, hematomas and inflamed areas that must be treated by bandages, taping, medication, surgery, ergonomic/orthopedic support and/or therapy. Some injuries may cause head or brain injury and/or injury to other parts of the body.
Wound care bandages have offered minimal protection to the body, since they are not designed to seal out infection, help release exudates, re-medicate, cleanse, provide cushioning, provide lab readings of infective processes or conform to or move with the body. Conventional bandages may allow infection to complicate the wound healing process. Often these complications can lead to much more severe injury or death.
In some cases, it has been found advantageous to apply a compress to the injured area to effect more rapid healing, or to prevent any further inflammation or injury. Typically, bandage support for the body is provided with square or rectangular bandages which fail to offer support, protection, or comfort and in many cases allow further infection or prematurely fall off. The conventional orthopedic or ergonomic support or bandage wrap offers no more support in the area of focus than in the areas of non-focus unless they have a stay, strap and/or hole, or they depend on the material they are made of rather than the design that offers little functionality. When protecting the body, ergonomic/orthopedic products, uniforms, apparel (pants, shorts, bras, helmets/headgear, shoes, seating design, gloves, footwear, wound care bandages, pillows, grips on tools, sports equipment and medical equipment have been made with little attention to engineered design, relying instead primarily on material.
What is needed is an anatomically engineered, configured design that represents an improvement to conventional design and that can be integrated with elastic-like material to create a better device for different products in numerous applications. It would therefore be advantageous to provide a device that offers more support, comfort, and protection and, in wound care, bandages that offer better adhesion properties and drainage due to symmetrical integrated overlapping circles. The article should conform better to body movement, have broader and more uniform adhesive borders, and provide dermal delivery of ingredients on or into the skin or body, aiding in wound healing.
This device could be held or worn as a grip and as a protective support. When utilized in different products and applications the device should also provide support, comfort, protection and/or pressure integrated into a therapeutic device for treating any living body. The device, utilized in different products and applications, should also provide support, comfort and protection integrated into a grip-like handle that may minimize slippage. In fact the device should be usable in conjunction with various mechanical and biological features including but not limited to back, full body brace, wrist, ankle, elbow, postural support, knee, uniforms, pants, shorts, helmets, shoes, seating, gloves, footwear, bandages/wound care, pillows, tools, sports equipment and medical equipment. In the preferred embodiments the device should comprise an engineered, anatomically configured design of overlapping integrated circular like bodies having concentrated pressure support for a joint and/or body part or on a product held or used by the body.
This advanced, inventive wound care article should have a cap or opening in the center to release exudates built up at the site of the wound. Such a design should allow for cleaning, IV tubing, re-medicating or alternative uses that conventional bandages do not permit. A peelable membrane or faux cover over the cap or as a replacement therefore can be used to protect the opening from bacteria and other contaminants. The wound care or orthopedic/ergonomic products that could utilize such a design should help absorb impact and deflect force to minimize injuries to the user. The wound care products could comprise foam or other material to minimize the risk of injury in either post-surgical care or, in sports, to prevent injuries.